


Not Dating

by Sanalith



Category: Hana Yori Dango | Boys Over Flowers (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-05
Updated: 2012-12-05
Packaged: 2017-11-20 09:23:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/583787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanalith/pseuds/Sanalith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since they're not dating Tsukushi doesn't need to buy Doumyouji a Valentine's Day present...right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Dating

_It’s not like we’re dating, so it doesn’t matter._  
  
Tsukushi nodded firmly to herself, repeating the mantra. She and Doumyouji were barely even  _friends_ , and certainly not in the traditional sense. And if they weren’t friends, they couldn’t be in some sort of messy and convoluted romantic relationship, because that totally went against the normal way of things. Two people were friends before they were lovers.  
  
 _But isn’t_  he  _messy and convoluted?_  
  
She frowned, trying to swat away the thought.  
  
 _And when has anything EVER been normal with him?_  
  
But...if they  _were_  dating...then...  
  
“Ahhhhhh, why me?” she wailed allowed, dropping her head into her hands. Why did everything have to be so bloody complicated with the man? And, more importantly, why did she care?  
  
The fact that tomorrow was Valentine’s Day hadn’t even permeated her mind until pesky Akira and Soujirou had plopped down at lunch with her earlier and demanded to know what she was buying their friend.  
  
She’d looked back at them blankly. “But...but we’re not dating! And we don’t work together, so...”  
  
The F4 members exchanged glances.  
  
“Ah, of course,” Soujirou replied slowly. “You’re not dating.”  
  
“We’d...forgotten,” Akira offered.   
  
Tsukushi blinked. How did one forget whether or not one’s best friend was in a relationship?  
  
“It’s just that...well, he really did love those cookies you made him for his birthday...”  
  
“...and you’ve been  _not dating_  for quite some time now....”  
  
“...so he’s probably expecting something...”  
  
“...and you _know_  how he gets when he thinks someone is ignoring him, so___”  
  
Tsukushi slammed her hands down on the table. “If that idiot thinks I’m supposed to buy him some stupid chocolate with money I don't have to celebrate a relationship that doesn’t exist, that’s HIS problem! If he doesn’t like it, he can get a REAL girlfriend to waste her time and energy on him!”  
  
And with that, she stood up and flounced off, leaving her two not-friends behind.   
  
Or at least, she hoped she flounced. It was probably more of an off-balance and annoyed stalk, but flouncing sounded much better in her mind.  
  
But Akira and Soujirou had sowed the seeds of discontent, and now she couldn’t let them go.   
  
 _We’re not dating, so it doesn’t matter,_  she repeated firmly.  _We’re not dating. We’re not!_  
  
… _Are we?_  
  
“Well, and even if we were, it’s not like he’d ever remember to get me something on White Day, what with that awful memory of his, and I’m not going to get HIM something if HE’S not going to do the same!” Tsukushi nodded firmly. “And he knows I don’t have any money, and no matter that he did seem to like those cookies, I’m not going to make a fool of myself by baking again. So THERE!”  
  
 _And I have GOT to stop talking to myself!!!_  
  
But...but they HAD been not dating for several months now, and if he WAS expecting something...God, he always looked like a kicked puppy when he was sad and she HATED that, and...and...  
  
“GAH!!!”  
  
Someday, she really was going to get a nice boyfriend. One she had half a chance of understanding. One who wouldn’t expect her to always read his mind and at the same time act horribly offended when he didn’t understand something obvious. One who would really and truly love her.  
  
Love...  
  
A dark evening full of stars. A flash of silver and gold as he settled the Saturn pendant around her throat. Warm breath by her ear and a murmured, “What’s wrong with giving a gift to the woman I love?”  
  
Love?  
  
His face bloody, gasping for breath, he pulled her into his arms as she tearfully demanded why he hadn't fought back against Junpei's thugs. “Isn't it obvious?” he demanded. “If I fought back, I wouldn't have been able to protect you.”  
  
But...  
  
His arms wrapped around her on the pavement outside the school, half-dead from being dragged behind a car for a crime she hadn't committed, his voice the sweetest salvation she'd never asked for.   
  
 _”I believe in you.”_  
  
A ghost of a tear pricked her eyelid.  
  
Damn him, anyway.  
  
They weren’t dating. They  _weren’t_.

  
*************

  
When Tsukasa awoke the next morning, a maid was tapping at his door. He grunted a reply, only half conscious, and she entered with a bow. “Master, a young lady left this for you.” And she held out a small package wrapped in red.  
  
Tsukasa blinked, then waved her away. When she closed the door, he slowly got out of bed and picked up the box. Opening it, he found a small chocolate-chip cookie that smelled vaguely of fish, was burnt on the bottom, and was almost... _almost_  round.  
  
Underneath, he found a short note written in a distinctive scrawl.  
  
 _We’re not dating, ok, but just in case you got the wrong idea, I didn’t want to deal with your childish temper tantrums, so...here. Don’t choke on it._  
  
~ Makino  
  
Tsukasa threw back his head and laughed.  
  
Just when he thought it wasn’t possible...he discovered that he loved her even more.


End file.
